Ski caddy having means for utilizing ski poles as a support

Abstract

A ski caddy includes a telescoping shaft coupled to a pair of wheels at one end and a handle at the other. The wheels are preferably dish shaped. A generally U-shaped cup resides between the wheels for holding the butt end of a pair of skis. A generally W-shaped member is provided beneath the handle to support the skis in the space the skis in the space between the front and rear boot bindings. Two cutouts, adapted to receive the upper portion of a pair of ski poles, are provided on each opposite side of the W-shaped member and allow the poles to be rotated and crossed into a tripod-like configuration with the shaft. A pair of pole receiving sleeves are provided on opposite sides of the U-shaped cup for receiving the sharp ends of the ski poles. The ski caddy moves easily through snow and on hard surfaces, and can be maintained in an upright position on virtually any surface. The ski caddy can be secured to a stationary object using a cable lock passing it through the holes in the cutouts and the W-shaped support.

1. An apparatus for transporting ski equipment, said apparatus comprising:
 a) a telescoping shaft having a first end and a second end;  
 b) a pair of wheels coupled to the first end;  
 c) a handle coupled to the second end;  
 d) a ski support member coupled to said handle;  
 e) a pair of ski pole gripping support members coupled to opposite sides of the ski support member, wherein  
 said ski pole gripping support members are configured such that a pair of ski poles supported by said ski pole gripping support members can be rotated from a position substantially parallel to the shaft to a position oblique to said shaft whereby the pair of ski poles are crossed to form a tripod-like structure with said shaft.  
 
   
   
     2. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said ski pole gripping support members are configured such that a pair of ski poles supported by said ski pole gripping support members can be rotated through two planes.  
 
   
   
     3. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wheels are substantially bowl shaped.  
 
   
   
     4. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 f) a second ski support member located between the wheels.  
 
   
   
     5. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein;
 said ski support member is substantially W-shaped,  
 said handle is coupled to the top center portion of the ski support, and  
 the bottom center of the ski support is coupled to said second end of said shaft.  
 
   
   
     6. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said handle is slidable relative to said ski support member.  
 
   
   
     7. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 f) locking means for locking a pair of skis and a pair of ski poles to the apparatus.  
 
   
   
     8. An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 said locking means is also for locking said apparatus to another object.  
 
   
   
     9. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 f) a removable shoulder strap.  
 
   
   
     10. An apparatus for transporting a pair of skis, said apparatus comprising:
 a) a telescoping shaft having a first end and a second end;  
 b) a pair of wheels coupled to said first end;  
 c) a first ski supporting member coupled between said wheels;  
 d) a second ski supporting member coupled to said second end; and  
 e) a handle coupled to said second ski supporting member;  
 wherein said first ski supporting member is substantially U shaped and dimensioned to receive the butt ends of a pair of skis, said second ski supporting member is substantially W-shaped, said handle is coupled to the top center portion of the ski supporting member, and the bottom center of the ski supporting member is coupled to said second end of said shaft.